FEAR IS YOUR FRIEND

When I was in my teenage years, I almost drown. It was the hot long days of summer and nothing was more enjoyable than spending the days lazily by a friend of the family’s swimming pool. After a long day jumping into the deep end of the pool and doggy paddling to the shallow end of the pool, my arms and legs had enough and finally gave out mid-way from the deep end. I was totally panic stricken, to the point of paralysis. After bobbing up and down for a couple minutes, fighting to get a precious grasp of air and then sinking again to the bottom of the pool. I was lucky in that one of my friends saw my plight and decided to jump in and save my life. I continue to be thankful to him for choosing to step forth and intervene. I have never been more ecstatic to see an out stretch hand.

Question Your Fears

It took me a long time to enter the water again but since that time, I have learnt a lot about conquering your fears. Fears is your friend if your choose. Firstly, fear is a choice; you choose to be afraid of whatever you are afraid of. I love the water, and it was not until, I choose to not let fear hold me back, did I start to realized the changes. Secondly, ask yourself what is the worst that could happen, in my case, I was not able to swim well so the worst is that I would remain a non-swimmer. Once you realized that maintaining the status quo will not allow you to move forward and not allow you to grow and experience wonderful memories you can let go.

After asking yourself these two questions and answering them honestly, you will realized that there is nothing in your path. When I realized this, my life changed dramatically, to the point that I finally confronted my fear of the water and in 2006, I got certified a scuba diver. Fear remains one of the strong emotions that can paralyse and cripple your progress through life. It is very prevalent in our lives, and some many people spend their entire life just running from it but it is something that is not to be trifle with, it must be conquered. Fear thrives on secrecy and manipulates ones subconscious to exercise power over one’s actions and choices. Fear is your friend, no doubt it will take great inner fortitude to confront fear and to finally drive it submission.

Confronting Your Fear

To conquer anything requires deconstructing it, taking it to it basal elements. This is true of swimming or a deep seated phobia. Why are you afraid? What is the worst that can happen? Get clear on what exactly is driving your fear. Keep in mind; this is an opportunity to do something different, something magical. It’s a false constructs and untested assumptions that hold us back. It is the unknown, the untested; it is the secrecy, mystical that creates fear.

Start deconstructing your fears, by application analysing them. Write down clearly what causes you to be afraid of a particular place or thing.
Tackle each reason one at a time by logically analysing and finding solutions to them. For example, if you are fear is not having enough money, you may talk to individuals who are successful in managing money and finances.
After finding ways to understand your fear, it is time to get comfortable with It. To get comfortable with the idea of being in and around water, I started with only going neck deep. Until I became, totally familiar with being in the water.
Experience your fears in a stepwise progression until you are able to swim freely in the open ocean.
Don't worry if your final step takes a very, very long time to go through. Some phobias can be overwhelming and hard to deconstruct.